Senju Naruto
by Athy Arrow
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi are dead. They died the night the Kyuubi attacked. Life in the village moved on, but in a corner of the Wave Country a tiny blond hurricane, his older siblings, and his mother are making a living healing others. But things are going to change for the worse. Will the Senju CLan be ready? adopted from the Bearded One. Naru x Hina, Kakashi x Shizune.
1. Fugitive

Fugitive

a/n &dis: I do NOT under _ANY _circumstance own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does. I own any OCs I introduce, my plot (after the adopted chapters) and my insanity. Keep the flames down please, Tobirama, Zabuza and my other Suiton users have all run away. This is kinda AU, mostly plot faithful.

I adopted this from TheBeardedOne. Check him out, he rocks!

* * *

Hatake Kakashi removed his ANBU mask as he staggered back from the vast plain of shattered wreckage that had once been a large forest and several districts of Konoha prior to the appearance and rampage of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Holding the scroll he had been tasked with delivering to the council, he took several deep breaths of the cooling night air and wiped away the runnels of perspiration that ran down the exposed portion of his face.

Passing through one of the many secret entrances of the tower, one reserved for the ANBU, Kakashi moved through the secret passages silently, half-bent to ensure that he didn't accidently concuss himself on any of the beams in the low corridor. Although he was not trying to be stealthy, almost a decade of experience and reflex prevented him from making any noise. Reaching a well-oiled trapdoor set into an angled wall, he opened it slightly, then paused at the voice he heard from the council chamber below him.

"…and we have to move now. You heard our ally, the Hokage and the foreign bitch he married are both dead, and the Kyuubi's sealed into Minato's brat. We'll be able to get all of those properties and those scrolls at last, just as soon as that demon-kid dies."

"But the child is apparently healthy." another voice said calmly. "And when Sarutobi recovers and reclaims the position of Hokage, he'll look after the kid. He'll either adopt it, or place it in a clan. We all know about our beloved Hokage's last wishes about his bastard being seen as a hero."

Kakashi's exposed eye widened at the scorn and vitriol of the voices below, but he waited in silence as the conversation continued.

"The Slug-princess has left just as planned, thinking the brat's dead, but the Toad-sage is returning soon." a third voice said. "Whatever we plan to do, we need to do it fast. And deniably."

"You do not need to worry." Danzo's voice purred and Kakashi's blood seemed to turn to ice. "My men are almost in position. Before sunrise, they'll have replaced the demon-child with the body of an orphan conveniently killed in the attack. The brat will become Konoha's secret weapon, an emotionless killer with the power of the Kyuubi and total loyalty to Konoha and only Konoha. And remember that according to legend, Bloodline limits are derived from jinchuurikis. Once the weapon hits puberty…"

Kakashi silently slid closed the hatch and backed away, suppressing his chakra as much as he could. The son of his sensei was in danger, and although he didn't recognize some of the voices, he knew Danzo by reputation. The old man was a merciless war-hawk willing to sacrifice his own men for his vision of how Konoha should be. The boy deserved better than that, and he obviously wasn't going to get it from here.

The cold air of the night snapped Kakashi out of his near-stupor and he glanced round, realizing that he didn't actually remember traversing the passageway out. Seeing no-one nearby, Kakashi accelerated to the field-hospital where he knew the newborn Naruto was sleeping, unaware that he was an orphan… and the possessor of a burden that could spark wars beyond imagining if word of his power leaked out.

.

The man reaching into the cot froze as the blade erupted from his chest. Eyes wide, but empty, he slowly toppled to the floor as Kakashi retrieved his tanto and wiped it with a cloth before re-sheathing it. The infant stirred slightly and Kakashi used a low-level sleep-jutsu to send him deep into a dreamless sleep before looking round at the bodies of those who had died trying to take Naruto, and those who had died trying to defend him. Picking up the bag that the intruders had intended to use, Kakashi carefully picked up the swaddled child and gently placed him into the bag, padding him with rolls of cloth before closing it. Placing it on the table, he closed his eyes briefly and summoned a Kage Bunshin. Together, they rapidly collected the equipment they would need for Naruto, then the clone looked surprised as Kakashi passed over his headband, mask and weapons pouch.

"We're headed out. We'll mark the trees for the chasers, just like a standard pursuit, but we'll split at the big rock. You go to the Valley of the End, throw round some serious jutsus and scatter these like it was a real fight, then dispel. I'll get Naruto somewhere safe."

"Agreed." the clone said, then it looked at the second bag the intruders had brought. Glancing into it, the clone paled, then picked it up and put the bag over its shoulder. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and the clone sighed.

"ROOT made a damn good choice with their victim, he looks a lot like Naruto. They even did a fake seal and whisker-lines. I'll take his body, whoever he really was, and burn it. The remains will make them think that you and he are both dead."

Kakashi nodded, suppressing surprise that his clone had thought of something that he had overlooked. "Okay. Let's go."

Both of them vanished into the night.

.

"WHAT!"

The entire council stared at the ANBU messenger, faces blank in shock and dismay. The masked ANBU repeated his report almost emotionlessly.

"Hatake Kakashi, codename Inu, discovered that a group of unknown shinobi had somehow penetrated the perimeter and killed the operatives assigned to safeguard Yondaime Hokage's son, Jinchuuriki Naruto. The unknown Shinobi escaped with Kakashi in hot pursuit. When reinforcements discovered the situation and the message Kakashi had left, they also went in pursuit, following the trail Kakashi had marked.

"Sadly, it was too late. Kakashi managed to catch up with the unknown shinobi at the Valley of the End. They fought, and Yondaime's son was killed during the battle. Kakashi is believed to be deceased, we found his headband, mask and much of his gear around the battlefield, but the surviving enemy shinobi must have taken his body, probably for his Sharingan eye."

"Are we sure Kakashi was really there?" Hyuuga Hiashi asked and the Anbu nodded.

"One of the statues was damaged by a Chidori. From the impact crater, we believe… that Kakashi was performing a suicide attack. The crater was far smaller than normal for a Chidori, and the shape… suggests that the Chidori failed within a second of the impact. Chakra exhaustion is the only explanation."

"How do we know that Naruto was killed?" another councilor asked.

"We identified his remains at the scene." the ANBU replied woodenly. "We buried them and erected a headstone. It seemed somehow appropriate that the son of the Fourth should be buried at the feet of the statue of the First."

"A wise choice." Sarutobi said sorrowfully. "I shall announce this to the village tomorrow. You are dismissed. All of you."

The ANBU vanished and the council rose and filed out, glancing back at the old man who had once been Hokage and was once more. The door clicked shut and Sarutobi didn't move. He simply stared at nothing, unmoving, ignoring the tears that ran down his cheeks and fell onto the council table.

.

Kakashi smiled down at the small boy he held in his arms as he walked into the small town. Glancing round, he froze as he saw a familiar figure.

"No. Kami. Damned. Way."

The figure vanished into a hotel and Kakashi ran after it. Dashing round the corner, he found himself yanked off his feet and slammed into a wall, a hand stronger than steel clamped around his throat.

"I have had a bad day!" Tsunade hissed at him. "I've just put my orphaned niece to bed, found out that two of my best friends are dead as well as the student of one of those friends, heard that my old home has been half-flattened and now I have a bounty hunter after me! How much do I owe to whom now?"

Unable to speak due to the vice-like grip on his throat, Kakashi raised Naruto up so that the furious Sannin could see him. Tsunade looked at him, then her eyes widened.

"Is… is that…?"

Kakashi nodded and Tsunade released him.

"Come with me. We need to talk."

.

"…and so we came here." Kakashi finished as Tsunade held a sleeping Naruto in her arms. "Finding you was unexpected, but I decided to take full advantage."

"You had no real plans, hmmm?"

"None whatsoever." Kakashi confirmed. "I have no family left, except Naruto, the son of my Sensei. When I heard what that bastard Danzo had planned, I promised myself I would take care of him, but…" he shrugged and looked up pleadingly, "I don't know how. Please, Tsunade-hime, help me keep Naruto safe."

Tsunade sighed. "Alright. As it happens, I have access to some of my clan accounts. I was hoping to never need to tap them, but… we need a safe place. And not a Hidden Village, we'll be too obvious in one of those. Naruto needs somewhere that no-one knows of his family… of you or me."

"He can't use his clan-name." Kakashi said quietly. "Nor can I, for that matter. Not until he's old enough, trained enough to defend himself from those who want to abuse his power."

Tsunade nodded slowly, then her eyes brightened.

"We'll go to Wave. They have no Hidden Villages, no history of ninjas and they're loosely allied with the Land of Fire, which means that no-one will be expecting fugitives from the Leaf to stop there. We can set up there as medics, I'll see to Naruto's medical and physical training. You have the Sharingan, how many jutsus do you have?"

"Couple of hundred…" Kakashi mused and Tsunade nodded.

"Copy-cat Kakashi. Okay, get some sleep. We leave tomorrow. Once we get set up in Wave, I'll work on getting your Chakra reserves up, they're too low, even with your white chakra giving you a boost. Once Naruto's old enough, we can train him to be a real Shinobi. Oh one more thing. From now on, you'll both call me Kaasan."

Kakashi's uncovered eye widened and Tsunade's grin widened.

"Yep, I've just adopted you both."

.

"No doubt about it, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is dead." said one of the cloaked figures. "The seal on the kid must have been extraordinary since it seems to have prevented the Kyuubi from being dissipated and reborn when the boy was killed. The Kyuubi is… gone."

"That is… unfortunate." said another one. "Without all nine of the Biju, the plan cannot go ahead. You are positive it is not going to be reborn?"

"Zetsu scoured the entirety of the Land of Fire." the first figure replied. "There was no trace of the Kyuubi's chakra. The Jinchuuriki was killed in the Valley of the End and his grave is there. It is occupied, and the Leaf Shinobi are too compassionate to have killed a random child just to mislead others. There is no doubt, the Kyuubi is no more."

For several minutes, a heavy silence descended on the group, then the second figure spoke. "For the Jinchuuriki to have been killed so quickly, someone must have sabotaged their security. Someone must be moving against us. Someone from the Leaf, someone who knows about us and what we wanted."

"Danzo." another voice stated and the first figure nodded.

"I agree. That is the only conclusion available. Orochimaru. You know Konoha the best. Go there, locate Danzo and kill him. He has broken the agreement we had, he must die so that all know the consequences of such an act. He must be dead within the week."

"As you command, Leader-sama." A pale-skinned figure almost hissed.

"I must withdraw and meditate about this. Of all the things I had predicted, even I had not foreseen that the Kyuubi would be truly destroyed. And if the Kyuubi is no more, will the other Biju be destroyed as well, now that it is proven that it can be done, or has the technique died with the caster?"

"I will check with my sources, although they probably will not know." Orochimaru said and the leader nodded.

"So long as you try, and report on your findings, that will be fine. Go now."

Orochimaru's chakra silhouette seemed to flicker and fade, then the leader turned to face another of the members.

"Sasori. Your intelligence network surpasses that of all others."

"Find out just what happened to the kid and who's got the cyclops' body." Sasori nodded. "I'll have my agents keep watch for any non-Uchiha who suddenly gains a Sharingan."

"Excellent. Perhaps we will be able to find those who have interfered with our plan and then we can… express our displeasure with them."

"As you command, Leader-sama." Sasori stated as his image vanished.


	2. Homebuilder

Homebuilder

a/n &dis: I do NOT under _ANY _circumstance own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does. I own any OCs I introduce, my plot (after the adopted chapters) and my insanity. Keep the flames down please, Tobirama, Zabuza and my other Suiton users have all run away. This is kinda AU, mostly plot faithful.

* * *

"Home sweet home, maybe." Tsunade said with only a mild hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Close enough to the village to reach it in moments, far enough away that we don't have to worry about a constant demand for hangover cures and people who can't be bothered to take preventative measures against sniffles. Kashi, your opinion?"

Kakashi blurred into visibility behind Tazuna and stepped round him. "I've looked round. It needs quite a bit of work, shingles replacing, walls repairing, windows that need glazing, but it's almost livable at this time. The garden needs some serious work before we can grow anything there."

"I spotted quite a few medicinal herbs on the way!" Shizune chimed in, looking up from the sleeping face of her new young cousin. "We can transfer some and grow a proper medicinal garden, it'll be really useful."

Tsunade nodded, looking up at the peeling façade of the large mansion.

"Oh, I found a couple of interesting rooms at the back." Kakashi added. "One of them will be perfect as a library, although the walkways are so damaged that simply removing them may be for the best. We can always use the tree-walking method to reach the higher shelves, which will also help stop the untrained from reaching them and trying to do things that they can't do. The wing next to it would be good as a hospital."

Tsunade nodded, then half-turned to look at the grey-haired fisherman standing beside her.

"Tell the village council that we'll take it." she said with a slight smile. "You have yourself a medic. But I don't do hangovers."

"Thank you. Thank you." Tazuna said with a wide grin. "That is marvelous. Our own medics at last… the house will be yours, no charge."

"Thank you." Tsunade said. "We'll do our best to help out, but I'm afraid that for a while we'll be busy fixing up this place. If there are any emergencies such as broken bones or similar, don't hesitate to come and get me."

Tazuna bowed.

"Will you need any help getting your luggage up the track?"

"We'll be fine, thank you." Kakashi said.

"Then I probably have to be going." Tazuna said with another bow. "Good luck, and thank you."

They watched as Tazuna vanished round the first corner of the twisting track that led to the village, then Tsunade turned and strode through the open doors and into the main lobby of the large, abandoned mansion. Looking round, she gave a small nod.

"Okay, we'll turn this hall into a pharmacy so we can hand out medicines quickly to those who want them. Kashi, is that wing the one that you thought would be a good hospital?"

"Yes, Kaasan."

"I'll take a look soon. The main wing is over there, let's find some rooms and set up the sleeping rolls, then check out the kitchen. I hope it's in good shape, I'm getting hungry. Shizune?"

Shizune looked up from where she was playing with Naruto, letting him grip her finger and smiling at him as she pretended to try and wrestle the finger from his grasp.

"Yes, Kaasan?"

"Come on, let's get ourselves sorted."

"Yes, Kaasan."

.

"Welcome, welcome."

Kakashi smiled under his mask as he entered the shop to the shopkeeper's greeting.

"Good morning, Inaku-san." He said politely. "Have the new books and scrolls that Tsunade-kaasan ordered arrived yet?"

Inaku grinned and bent down to pull out a large box. "Here you go, Kashi, more of those medical tomes for the village's favourite medics. And more tools for your renovations, although the mansion has never looked better as it is. The lumber you requested is out the back."

"Well, you cn never have too many sheds." Kakashi eye-smiled. "And how is Komara doing? Has he fully recovered from his fall from that tree?"

"Almost healed and a little bundle of energy." Inaku's grin widened. "Tsunade-sama said another day or so before the cast can be safely removed."

"Good to hear." Kakashi said with a slight bow as he picked up the books.

"Kashi..?"

"Yes?"

"How come you're not a medic like Tsunade and Shizune? You have skills…"

Kakashi blinked a couple of times, then he smiled. "Not all of us Senju are full medics. I deal with the other things, gardening, repairs, paperwork, finances… all the things that don't involve blood and bones. I have the skills of an emergency medic, but that's mainly keeping people alive until the experts can arrive."

"And young Ruto?"

Kakashi laughed. "He's barely able to roll over, let alone perform operations. As he grows, we'll train him in the ways of the medics and the ninja. What he chooses to do is completely up to him, though. And whatever my little brother chooses, I'll support him as best as I can."

"Will he wear a mask, like you?"

Kakashi almost blinked in surprise. Tsunade had been trying to formulate a type of makeup that would cover Naruto's whisker-markings without looking artificial, but the idea that Inaku had just innocently suggested…

"It is a Senju family tradition." he lied smoothly. "Once a boy is able to walk, he is given his first mask and he takes it off only for his family and closest friends."

"You medics have the strangest customs." Inaku laughed. "But it doesn't matter to us. Have a good day now."

"Thank you." Kakashi said as he left the store. He really would have to remember to tell Tsunade about the new 'ancient Senju tradition'. If he did it right, maybe she wouldn't increase his ninja training.

Well, hopefully not by too much. His chakra reserves were, after all, growing nicely due to her training. And his newly-learned ability to punch through boulders like Tsunade was nice. Another thing to teach his little brother when he got old enough.

.

"Catch him!"

Kakashi blinked as a giggling high-speed blond blur scrambled down the corridor towards him at a speed that would make many genin jealous, followed by Shizune and Tsunade who were both trying (and failing) to catch him and succeeding only in getting in each others way, only their ninja reflexes stopping them from measuring their lengths along the ground. Carefully placing his shopping down at the side of the hall, Kakashi moved into the path of his six-month-old adoptive brother as he tried to get past and scooped him up, balancing the giggling boy on his hip as Tsunade and Shizune finally caught up.

"Thanks." Shizune panted as Naruto giggled. "If he can move that fast now, what will he be like when he actually walks?"

Kakashi nodded, mentally replaying the last few minutes in his head.

"Amazing how he moves… almost like a dog. Maybe he'll slow down a bit when he has to worry more about balancing… or not…"

Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes, releasing Kakashi from her glare. "Little gaki's getting way too mobile. And I still haven't come up with a way to hide his whiskers, he keeps smearing the makeup off."

"Ah…" Kakashi said slowly, catching the attention of the other two adults. "I came up with an idea in town about that, based on something that one of the shopkeepers said. An old Senju tradition that I came up with less than an hour ago."

Tsunade raised a brow. "I'm listening."

.

"Okay, that's this set done."

Shizune glanced over from where she was racking the scrolls and her gaze flickered across the line of books.

"Nice one, you managed to get them into the right order this time."

Kakashi gave a half-embarrassed shrug.

"How was I supposed to know how they should be arranged the first time? I only studied basic field-medic skills in the academy, not the super-advanced skills that Tsunade teaches."

"Speaking of super-advanced skills," Shizune said slowly, "Do you know any of Naruto's dad's skills? And will you teach him when he's old enough?"

For an answer, Kakashi held up his hand and a spiraling sphere of chakra formed in it.

"I will give my otouto his legacy." Kakashi said soberly and he let the sphere dissipate. "Even if I have to take a vial of his blood and infiltrate Konoha to reclaim the scrolls when it is time… actually, I may have to do that since they think he's dead."

Shizune shook her head. "I think it had better be Tsunade and myself who does that." She said. "I mean, your hairstyle is unmistakable, and although we've claimed the whole males-wear-a-mask-thing as a Senju tradition, that eye patch is a dead giveaway."

"At least Naruto and I go under different names in public." Kakashi groused and Shizune giggled.

"You both drop the first syllable. That's it." She laughed through her hands. "If that's different names…"

Kakashi sighed and turned to the next box of books.

At least the books didn't keep undermining his ego.

.

"Awwww."

Kakashi looked round to see what Shizune had reacted to and found her standing in the door to the study, her hands clasped just under her chin as she stared into the room, a silly grin on her face. Curiosity won out and he walked over to peer over her shoulder.

"Okay, that is cute."

Tsunade cracked open one eye and gave them a warning glare before glancing down and smiling. In her arms, head nestled against her shoulder, was Naruto, fast asleep with a wide smile on the part of his face that was still visible, his body limp with the total relaxation that only the very young can achieve.

As Kakashi watched, he felt Shizune lean backwards against him. A moment later, she pulled out a camera and, pausing just long enough to ensure that the flash was disabled, she took a picture of the scene in front of them. At the click, Tsunade re-opened her eye and gave a ferocious glare. Shizune smiled sweetly and held up the camera.

"For the album." She explained quietly. Tsunade seemed to consider this, then gave a slight nod before relaxing again on the couch. Kakashi tapped Shizune on her shoulder.

"Come on, let's let Kaasan and otouto get their sleep. Kaasan's been overwhelmed with paperwork and patients recently, and Ruto's obviously recharging for his next escapade."

Tsunade twitched slightly, but refused to react further as Shizune and Kakashi retreated, Shizune grinning widely and Kakashi eye-smiling. Naruto simply sighed in his sleep and snuggled closer to Tsunade.

.

"Gaah! Dammit!"

Shizune sprang though the door as if propelled by a fuuton jutsu, coming to a halt as she took in the sight before her.

Standing in the middle of the yard, Kakashi glared at the chickens around him, fingers twitching before he tried to grab one of them. The targeted bird managed to avoid his grasp, running off and Kakashi snarled in frustration as he sprawled in the dirt.

"I swear, these damned things have to be summons!" He growled, pulling himself to his feet. "No normal bird can escape me like that!"

Shizune shook her head and palmed a senbon needle, throwing it with a flick of her wrist. The needle sliced through the air and one of the chickens collapsed. Kakashi shot her a betrayed look, then picked up the chicken with a sigh.

"Give it here." Shizune smirked. "I still remember the last meal you tried to cook. You may be good at campfire foods, but anything more complicated…"

Kakashi nodded and handed over the chicken with a mental sigh of relief. He still didn't know how he'd managed to turn the last piece of meat he'd tried to prepare fluorescent green and purple, but the end result was that he'd been unofficially banned from making anything more complex than onigiri.

At least Shizune was skilled in the kitchen, as was Tsunade, and he was learning.

"When is Tsunade due back?"

"In a couple of hours." Shizune said, glancing up at the sky. "I should have the food prepared by then. How are you doing with listing your techniques?"

"Over seven hundred and fifty of them written down with full descriptions and hand-signs." Kakashi said with a slight shrug. "I hadn't actually realized that I had copied so many, to be honest."

Shizune nodded, then re-entered the house with Kakashi following her.

"Kashi, we may have a mission soon. We're running low on certain herbs and need more from the Land of Water, but they're having a civil war, so…"

"You need me to get in, get the herbs and bring them out without getting caught." Kakashi nodded, then his eye narrowed into the upturned U of his smile. "No problems. Anything else while I'm there?"

"There will be a couple of people you'll need to visit to get some medical scrolls that Tsunade wants." Shizune said as she started to pluck the chicken, dropping the feathers into a small bin placed by the kitchen table for just that purpose.

"Understood." Kakashi nodded. "So, where's the list and when do I set off?"


	3. Children

Children

a/n &dis: I do NOT under _ANY _circumstance own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does. I own any OCs I introduce, my plot (after the adopted chapters) and my insanity. Keep the flames down please, Tobirama, Zabuza and my other Suiton users have all run away. This is kinda AU, mostly plot faithful.

* * *

"…alright, Kashi." Tsunade sighed, "What did you do?"

"Ummm, I got your scrolls and herbs?" Kakashi offered sheepishly, proffering a sealing scroll which Tsunade accepted. "I also… kind of escorted some refugees to the village. They'll need some medical exams soon, some of them have odd Kekkei Genkai. That's why they asked me to help them."

"You escorted refugees from the Land of Water… just how many refugees are you talking about?"

"Meh, about a hundred or so." Kakashi shrugged. "Mainly women and children, but there were some ninja amongst them. They helped me guard them, you know."

Tsunade face palmed, then looked at the two young children and a lady standing behind Kakashi. One of the children was a Kaguya, identifiable by the two red spots on his forehead whilst the other was a child of similar age and indeterminate gender with silky black hair.

"And the two children are?"

Kakashi glanced back as if he'd forgotten about them. "Oh, the children! This one is Kaguya Kimimaro, his clan had imprisoned him because he was showing the strongest Kekkei Genkai they had seen and they wanted to turn him into a weapon, so I sort of liberated him along with some of his clan's scrolls and brought him with me. And the other boy is Yuki Haku, and this is his mother Yuki Haruko. His dad tried to kill him when he used Hyouton, I was in the area and managed to rescue them both and promised them a new life… when Haruko learned who you were, she asked if she could work for you and since you mentioned that we could always use another med-nin trainee…"

Kakashi trailed off and rubbed the back of his head while Tsunade face palmed.

"Only you, Kashi, only you…" She sighed, then she shrugged and stepped back, waving for everyone to enter. "Well, come in and welcome."

Haku and Haruko looked at each other and then Haruko led her son in while Kimimaro stayed by Kakashi's side until the taller ninja gently nudged him forwards.

"So, where's… whoa! Gotcha!"

Kakashi grabbed the speeding Naruto up off the floor and knelt down to balance him on his knee as Kimimaro and Haku watched with curiosity.

"Got away from Shizune again, did you? Kimimaro, this is Ruto. He's now your new little brother, alright?"

Kimimaro cocked his head in thought, then carefully reached out, smiling as Naruto promptly latched onto his finger.

"Hello… otouto…"

Haku joined them and Naruto promptly reached out with his other hand. Haku giggled as his finger was captured as well.

"Well, I guess that Ruto just got himself a new brother and a cousin." Kakashi half-joked and Tsunade sighed.

"Okay, Kashi, you're in charge of the brats while I talk to Haruko."

"Of course." Kakashi smiled as he stood up. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen and grab some food. I know that you're hungry after all that walking and then we'll get your hair sorted and a Senju mask, shall we, little bro?"

Kimimaro smiled up at Kakashi.

.

Haruko sat down on the chair that Tsunade indicated, twitching her brown kimono back into position as it tried to ride up, then she gratefully accepted the cup of tea handed to her by Shizune. Tsunade sat down behind her desk and pushed the small pile of paperwork to one side before accepting her own tea.

"So, Yuki Haruko, was it?"

At Haruko's nod, Tsunade continued. "I assume that you have the Hyouton Kekkei Genkai like your son? Excellent, there have been many times that I have wished for more ice than I had available at the time."

Haruko looked surprised and Tsunade used her cup to hide her amusement.

"This isn't the Land of Water, Haruko-san. I'm originally from Konohagakure, where they almost have a fetish for collecting and promoting bloodline limits. Now, I have no objection to you staying here, but there will be a few stipulations."

Haruko swallowed and Tsunade held up a finger.

"One, you will learn at least basic first aid, as will your son as he grows older. Even if it's only enough to keep someone alive until I or another full med-nin can get there."

"I… can agree to that." Haruko said quietly.

"Two," Continued Tsunade, "You will write down any and all Hyouton jutsu you know on scrolls that will be placed in a special section of the library under a seal that only a Hyouton user can open. There are already a couple of ice-type jutsu in the library that you may want to learn, assuming that you don't know them already. Just ask Shizune what system we use there, she'll explain it to you.

"Three. You will learn some chakra-control exercises. At the very least, tree- and water-walking. They will come in useful and Shizune or Kashi can easily help you with them."

"Four, you will help with the chores. We won't demand you take over running the House, only help out with the things you are best at or enjoy. I will ask that you help to look after Ruto, though. Little Gaki has way too much energy."

"I'd like that." Haruko demurred with a soft smile on her face. "I always wanted another child, but I was scared because of my bloodline."

"Word of warning," Tsunade smiled, "Ruto's probably got your son wrapped round his little finger by now. Little tyke's cute as anything and uses it to get out of trouble."

"How old is he?" Haruko asked curiously.

"Almost a year old." Tsunade said with a gentle smile. "Yours?"

"Four." Haruko said with a matching smile and Tsunade stood, extending her hand.

"Welcome to the Clinic Of The Waves, Yuki Haruko."

"Thank you." Haruko replied softly, also rising and clasping Tsunade's hand.

"Shizune will show you to your and Haku's rooms so you can get settled in, then she'll give you a quick tour. I have to finish this damned paperwork."

Smirking, Shizune stepped forwards and guided Haruko out of the office while Tsunade flopped back into her seat, scowling at the piles of paper before her.

.

"…and this is the playroom." Shizune said as she slid the door open. "It opens onto the garden and is generally where Ruto spends the day when he's not charging around the mansion like a blond hurricane."

Haruko giggled at the description as she followed Shizune into the toy-strewn room, then she stared at the sight before them. Kakashi gaze a lazy wave from the comfortable chair by the large window where he was sat reading a scroll while in the corner, Haku, Kimimaro and Naruto were all curled up together in a happy jumble of arms and legs on a futon in the corner.

"Ruto managed to exhaust them both," Kakashi explained quietly, "So I suggested that they had a little nap. Once they'd settled down, they dropped right off."

Shizune returned her camera to her pocket with a smile as she looked at the young trio.

"If I had any doubts, they're gone now." Haruko whispered. "I haven't seen Haku-kun look this happy in months."

"Looks like they're best friends already." Shizune whispered back.

"He'll be overjoyed to learn we're staying." Haruko replied. "So, what needs doing?"

"Well," Kakashi said, standing up and rolling the scroll up, "If you could take over watching them, I probably need to go down to the village. I noticed that we probably need more fish for tonight's tea as well as some more Sake for kaasan."

"Of course." Haruko smiled, moving to the vacated seat and settling into it, her eyes carefully watching the three children for any sign of anything being wrong.

.

"Urgh, what a day." Tsunade moaned as she accepted the cup being pressed into her hands. Taking a sip, she froze, her eyes wide, then she stared at the green liquid.

"Wow! This is… wow."

"Thank you." Haruko said as she passed a second cup to Shizune who sipped it appreciatively. "I made some food as well, I've already fed the children. Kashi's watching over them now."

Tsunade shook her head with a grin. "You know, hiring you was probably one of the best decisions I ever made."

Haruko blushed slightly, then quickly vanished from the room, reappearing with a tray of food that she placed on the desk in front of Tsunade.

"Eat up, you need to keep your strength."

Tsunade smiled as she picked up the chopsticks and selected the first bit of sushi. Lifting it to her mouth, she bit into it, then closed her eyes in bliss.

"Mmmmmmmm, this is amazing."

"Thank you." Haruko smiled. "Your sons helped me to make it. And they helped to clean up afterwards."

Tsunade paused for several seconds, then shrugged slightly and helped herself to another serving.

"So, are you enjoying it here? If not…"

"It's wonderful." Haruko interrupted, a soft smile on her face. "Three children to help raise without worrying about their Bloodline limits putting them in danger? It's almost like paradise."

Tsunade and Shizune exchanged glances, then Tsunade grinned.

"Be careful what you say, I might ask you to start up a daycare center. You'd have to deal with dozens of hyperactive brats."

Haruko smiled beatifically at the thought, causing Tsunade to sigh and Shizune to look thoughtful.


	4. Visits

Visits

a/n &dis: I do NOT under _ANY _circumstance own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does. I own any OCs I introduce, my plot (after the adopted chapters) and my insanity. Keep the flames down please, Tobirama, Zabuza and my other Suiton users have all run away. This is kinda AU, mostly plot faithful.

* * *

"Tsunade." Hiruzen said, a small, sad smile flickering on his face. "It's good to see you again."

Tsunade nodded and moved round the desk, her medical reflexes taking over.

"Sensei, what have you been doing to yourself? You look terrible. Your chakra is unbalanced, your control reduced and it looks like you aren't getting enough food or sleep."

"The last few years have been hard. Danzo getting killed and having to re-integrate his ROOT back into the shinobi ranks hasn't helped either." Hiruzen sighed. "Where's your niece?"

"Shizune wanted to pay her respects to Minato and Kushina." Tsunade said truthfully. "I believe she wanted to stop by the remains of the old house, then go to the memorial."

"I engraved their names myself." Hiruzen sighed, looking down at his desk, but Tsunade saw that his gaze was unfocused. "Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. I failed him, Tsunade. I failed Minato, I failed his family."

"But everyone knows." Tsunade said, resting her hand reassuringly on Hiruzen's shoulder. "They know about Minato's son, the burden he was asked to bear and how he was betrayed before the village could see him as the hero he truly was. How is Jiraiya taking it?"

"Jiraiya's out searching for whoever did it." Hiruzen said quietly. "But he said the Toads are being… cryptic about it. They keep referring to Naruto as being lost, not actually deceased."

Only decades of self-control kept Tsunade's breath from catching. Fortunately for her, Hiruzen continued without noticing.

"The name Naruto has become quite popular now. In the last seven months, twelve boys were born with that name, and five girls named Naruko were born."

"Kushina would laugh at the confusion in the schools when they all enroll." Tsunade dead-panned and Hiruzen nodded with a sad chuckle.

"She would indeed." He confirmed. "She would indeed."

For several minutes, both of them remained quiet, then Hiruzen coughed.

"I hear you've settled in Wave?"

"Yes." Tsunade said. "I've adopted a couple of the local orphans and have set up a small clinic that I'm thinking of extending at some point. The locals are very happy to have the great med-nin sannin helping to cure their coughs and sniffles. Shizune is happy too, she's fallen for one of the orphans, he's about her age and helps a lot round the clinic. He's got good potential as a ninja, I may train him."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Train him up enough and I might poach him to become the Godaime Hokage. Kami knows I never wanted this job back…"

A knock on the door caused them to look up, then it opened to reveal Shizune.

"My Lady, Lord Hokage."

"Shizune, how did…"

Tsunade's question trailed off as she remembered who was with them and Shizune lowered her head slightly.

"I got to say and do all that I wanted to, My Lady. Do you wish my further presence, or shall I wait at the hotel for you?"

"I'll join you at the hotel." Tsunade said. "We'll head back tomorrow."

"Yes my lady." Shizune said, bowing before retreating out of the room. Hiruzen and Tsunade watched her leave, then Hiruzen spoke.

"While you're here, do you wish to claim any of the Senju scrolls?"

"Only the medical ones, I'll copy them when I get home and then I'll have the copies sent back here to be used in the hospital." Tsunade said. "I may be living with my new family in Wave, but Konoha is still my true home when all is said and done. I just need more time to come to terms with…"

"Dan and Nawaki." Hiruzen said softly, his voice filled with understanding, glancing at the door where Shizune had vanished. "Of course. Take all the time you need."

"By the way," Tsunade said as a thought occurred to her, "The next time you see the Daimyo, you may want to ask about getting a full alliance with Wave. They don't have a Hidden Village of their own and an alliance would secure that border."

"An excellent idea." Hiruzen smiled. "And of course, having you already there and building up the goodwill won't hurt a bit."

"My thoughts exactly." Tsunade smiled. "My thoughts exactly."

.

The gates receded into the distance, vanishing behind the canopy of the trees as Tsunade and Shizune leapt through the branches.

"So it worked, then?" Tsunade asked after checking that there were no other chakra sources within range. Shizune nodded, patting her bag.

"It did, but I almost failed. There were far more scrolls than I had expected in there, it was fortunate that Minato had been experimenting with new storage seals. He managed to create a storage seal less than a tenth of the size of a normal one, but it still took me twelve scrolls to seal everything."

Tsunade whistled. "Kami, you had to seal the equivalent of a hundred and twenty scrolls of stuff? How much of it was jutsu?"

"About a quarter were books and scrolls, mainly about Fuinjitsu." Shizune replied, ducking as she passed a bit too closely to one of the branches. "There was a lot of gold and jewels, and four of the scrolls are weapons. I almost couldn't believe how many of his Kunai he had pre-stored, two entire scrolls worth."

"Well, at least when Ruto starts learning the Hiraishin, he'll have plenty of Kunai to practice with." Tsunade shrugged after several minutes thought. "There were Hiraishin scrolls, weren't there?"

"There were." Shizune nodded. "Three of them, one of them signed by Senju Tobirama."

"You're kidding!" Tsunade gasped. "It's a Senju technique? I thought Minato had created it."

Shizune shook her head. "From what I was able to see from the scroll, Minato refined it, cutting the amount of chakra it needed and minimizing the time it took to implement. Tobirama noted that he could only use it a few times before needing to rest, Minato could use it hundreds of times and over considerably longer distances."

Tsunade whistled, then slowly nodded.

"If it's based on a Senju technique, that means that we could possibly learn it ourselves, which will help us in teaching it to Ruto when he grows older."

"It'll be useful for going into town and back as well." Shizune grinned. "Just put one tag in the back room of a small building in town and another back in the mansion and… pop! Instant movement."

"Might be an idea to install a platform with fake seals on it." Tsunade mused. "Make them look complicated enough and no-one will suspect it's really a small tag that does it. Include a few light-seals for dramatic effect and it'll look cool as anything."

"Put a tag in the Senju mansion and you'll be able to visit Konoha whenever you like." Shizune added, then she grinned. "How many tags do you think Minato left around Konoha?"

Tsunade shrugged. "Probably quite a few. Now, using them is another problem. The old lecher tried and failed to learn it."

Shizune frowned. "Interesting. We both know that it couldn't be his chakra control that was the issue since Jiraiya-sama is capable of Sage-mode… blood-lock perhaps?"

"We'll find out back at the mansion." Tsunade shrugged as she ducked under a branch growing at just the wrong height. "I hope the scrolls explain the damned technique. I don't want to spark the lecher's curiosity by asking him about the Hiraishin."

"That could be a problem." Shizune agreed.


	5. First Encounters

First Encounters

a/n &dis: I do NOT under _ANY _circumstance own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does. I own any OCs I introduce, my plot (after the adopted chapters) and my insanity. Keep the flames down please, Tobirama, Zabuza and my other Suiton users have all run away. This is kinda AU, mostly plot faithful.

I want to reply to my reviews:

To all those who reviewed positively, thank you for your support. It's very appreciated.

ACSkywalker, don't worry I have a plan for introducing Sasuke and I kinda have a plan for the rest.

The guest who didn't sign a name, and XfIsJMG1 I understand that this story isn't for everyone and I appreciate your honesty with your reviews.

* * *

"Where did those 3 get off to?" muttered Haruko as she stood in the kitchen with Shizune, "Their 5 and 2 for kami's sake."

"Regretting being our nanny now, Haruko-san?" asked Shizune with a small smile.

"Hardly. But Ruto, Kimimaro and Haku need their baths, but i can't find them," said the Hyouton user with a sigh.

"Looking for the gakis?" asked Tsunade as she entered the kitchen.

"Yes. They heard 'bath' and scattered before i could catch them," said Haruko, "Considering Ruto only recently got the hang of walking, he could outrun a cat."

"That's the truth. I caught some runaways Haruko-san," said Kakashi as he entered dragging Kimimaro and Haku.

"There's 2 of them. Where's the little hurricane?" asked Haruko as she took the Kaguya boy and Haku by the wrist.

"Oh, Kashi, I finished Ruto's mask earlier. We can give it to him now," said Shizune as she pulled the black piece of fabric out of her yukata.

"Excellent timing," said Tsunade with a nod, "Important guests are coming today."

"Who's coming Kaa-san?" asked Kimimaro curiously.

"Hyuugas." said Tsunade, "Hiashi and Himeko want to make sure their daughter is safe after the attempt to kidnap her last month, so they want the best to examine her."

"Someone was idiotic enough to try and kidnap a Hyuuga of the main house?" asked Shizune incredulously.

"Apparently. Kumo's 'ambassadors' tried to kidnap the kid when everyone was asleep," said Tsunade, "Some people are morons."

The two former Konoha nin sighed at the idiocy that sometimes ran rampant through the ninja world.

"Is the child ok?" asked Haruko worriedly.

"She's fine. A nearby ninja apprehended the nin and saved the girl without harming Kumo's kidnapper," said Tsunade, "But let's not think about Konoha right now. We have a gaki to find."

"Right. I'll get started on these two escape artists. Tsunade-san, Shizune-san, Kashi-san, can you find Ruto for me?" asked Haruko as she started to turn away.

"Of course. You go clean up those two," said Kakashi, "Leave Ruto to us."

"Thank you," said Haruko as she walked out.

"Tsunade-kaa-san, if Kumo attempted to retrieve a Hyuuga does that mean..." started Shizune.

"No. I won't let another war start and threaten my family," said Tsunade as a serious air filled the kitchen, "Even if i have to go kill A myself."

"I'm going to go try and find Naruto now," said Kakashi as he walked out to avoid the tension.

A tiny giggle drew the tracker-nin's attention to a closet. He pulled open the door and grabbed the squirming toddler who was hiding there. "It's not nice to hide from Haruko-obaa-san. Understand?"

"Hai nii-tan," said Naruto with a mostly toothless grin.

"Come on. Kimimaro and Haku are already getting their baths. You need to join them. Then it's time for you to get your very first mask," said Kakashi as he walked towards the bathroom where he saw Haruko, Kimimaro and Haku having a bubble fight.

"Down! Down!" said Naruto excitedly.

"He's yours now Haruko-san," said Kakashi as he set the toddler down.

"Thank you for finding him Kashi-san," said Haruko as she removed Naruto's clothes and set him in the bath water with his 'brother' and 'cousin'.

"Be quick about it please. We need Ruto in his mask before the guests come," said Kakashi before he walked out.

* * *

~a few hours later~

"Aah, Tsunade-hime it is a pleasure to see you again," said Hiashi, his lavender eyes wary despite his easy words.

"Likewise Hiashi-sama. Is this little one your daughter?" asked Tsunade, her brown eyes gentle as she looked at the tiny girl who clung to Hiashi's yukata.

"This is Hinata. Say hello Hinata," said Himeko gently, her hand drifting to straighten her daughter's hair.

"H-h-hello Ts-tsunade-sama," said Hinata, her eyes intent on admiring the ground.

"Come in. Shizune will start by giving her a basic check up. I must speak with you two," said Tsunade as her adopted daughter came and carefully lifted the tiny girl, who looked slightly terrified.

"It's alright darling. She won't hurt you," said Himeko reassuringly as Shizune walked towards a room in a different wing of the house.

"Now, Hiashi-sama, Himeko-sama, i must ask why you chose to come to me. There are plenty of skilled medics in Konoha," said Tsunade.

"We came to you because we know your skill, and we fear a second attempt to kidnap Hinata may occur, so being near one of the Sannin was a very secure option," said Hiashi.

"So my family is to be your daughter's bodyguards?" asked Tsunade.

"Please, Tsunade-hime. I can not bear the thought of my daughter being in danger," said Himeko pleadingly, "You are a mother, please understand."

"I do understand, but my family has 3 young children in it, I can not risk them trying to guard your daughter if another attempt is made," said Tsunade, a sad but firm look in her amber eyes.

"But your daughter has extensive skills," said Hiashi, desperation turning his lavender eyes twilight, "I do not want to worry about Hinata's safety. Please, I am willing to do anything."

"I never thought I'd see you this worried Hiashi-sama, I will not allow a child in this home to be hurt, so if an attempt to kidnap Hinata is made, we will step in to stop it," said Tsunade.

"Thank you Tsunade-hime. We are in your debt," said Himeko with a relieved sigh.

"I'll hold you to that," said Tsunade in a very solemn voice, "We'll care for your daughter and protect her while you go about the business you have here in the Country of Waves."

* * *

"Ok Hinata-chan, let's give you your check up," said Shizune as she set the girl on the table in one of the check up rooms.

"Nee-tan," said Naruto as he tripped into the check-up room, a smile visible behind his mask.

"Hinata-chan, meet my otouto, Ruto. Ruto, say hello," said Shizune as she helped her little brother up.

"Oha'o!" said Naruto with a smile that telegraphed itself up to his sparkling blue eyes and caused the tiny girl who sat on the table to faint.


End file.
